Various embodiments of the invention relate to an image reproduction apparatus using image files comprised in an electronic map, a display method for the same, and a recording medium for recording a program for executing the method, and more particularly, to an image reproduction apparatus for displaying images of image files including an image of a target point to be observed on an electronic map by using image files located adjacent to the target point, a display method for the same, and a recording medium for recording a program for executing the method.
Electronic maps are implemented using digital information so that information previously only with conventional paper maps can be made available by personal computers (PCs) and other means, and allow users to easily search for position information, such as latitude, longitude, address, and so on, by associating with a Geographic Information System (GIS) in which various kinds of geographic information are stored in a database. Recently, updated current map information can be maintained by using electronic maps associated with Internet communication technology, and electronic maps providing time information having a 1-second error for 36-thousand years and position information having horizontal and vertical errors each having a 10˜15-meter error using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology can be achieved.
In addition, by introducing GPS technology to digital capturing devices, such as digital cameras, camcorders, camera-equipped cellular phones, camera-equipped electronic organizers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs), to capture images and store the captured images, accurate position information of the captured images can be stored.
To fulfill the variety of demands of users for digital capturing devices, captured images are used in an electronic map field, as described above. In other words, by allowing a user to be able to store image information of a captured photograph in an electronic map, the user can search for position information and obtain various kinds of image information using the electronic map. For example, Google Earth, which is an Internet-based electronic map search service, provides accurate position information and satellite photograph information to users using GPS technology. Google Earth also provides a service of displaying various image files captured and stored by each user on an electronic map by allowing the user to register an image file, such as a photograph captured by the user, on the electronic map.
According to the wide spread use of digital capturing devices and the variety of methods of using the digital capturing devices, the speed of registering image information on an electronic map has rapidly increased. However, the methods of variously using image files are very insufficient. For example, when a user wants to observe an image of a target point on an electronic map, only if an image file registered on a position of the target point exists, the image of the target point can be observed using the image file. Thus, if there is no image file registered on the position of the target point, the image of the target point cannot be observed. In addition, even if there is an image file registered for the position of the target point, since only the image file itself is displayed, various image files located adjacent to the target point still cannot be used.